Steel fence post



fl o. M. BORGEN STEEL FENCE POST Filed Oct. 50, 1939 Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 2 Claims.

A still further object of the invention is the construction of preferably a steel fence post, with horizontal slots, and depending from the upper edge of each slot is a pair of curved lips, which, when bent at right angles to the body of the post, produce a key-receiving socket.

With the foregoing. and other objects inview, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts.

as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a fence post constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation of a fence post. a

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3, Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4--4, Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5, Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the post.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary blank, showing the structure of the post, prior to folding or shaping into its finished form.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, l desig nates the post, which can be made of any suitable material, but I prefer to use steel. The steel strips or blanks (see Fig. 7) are each folded along lines 2, 3 and 4 to produce substantially a V- shaped body 5, which body is provided with outstanding fianges 6 (Fig. 3). The length of the post can vary, depending upon the operator or constructor needs.

The body 5 is preferably provided at its center with a plurality of horizontal slots 1. Depending from the upper edge of each slot 1 is a pair of locking-key supporting lips 8. Each lip 8 is outwardly curved at 9, on its outer edge, and its inner edge I0 is inwardly curved, whereby when the pair of lips of each slot is bent to a horizontal position (Fig. 6), a substantially round.

socket II is thereby formed, which socket ll admirably receives the locking-key 12. f

The fence wires 13 are placed in the slots 1, and as each is so placed, a locking-key I2 is inserted in the socket H and forced downwardly, so that its roughened or crooked end near its head engages the lips B, to lock the key within socket ll against accidental displacement (Fig. 5).

It is to be noted that no additional material is required to produce these novel socket forming lips, as they are cut, by any suitable means, right out of the material, while each slot is being formed. The bending of-the lips 8 into their holding position is a simple operation, and thereby an efficient key supporting means is provided.

The post will support any kind of fencing wire, such as barb wire, although for illustration purposes, I have shown plain fence wire in the oflicial drawing.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention and illustrated same in the accompanying drawing, certain changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates during the extensive manufacture of same, and I, therefore, reserve the right to make such changes or alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims. 1

What I claim is:

1. In a metallic fence post, a body provided with a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal slots, said body being provided at each slot with companion tongues extending from the top edge of the slot in side by side relation to each other, the companion tongues being curved longitudinally towards each other and bent inwardly and upwardly to dispose ends of the tongues in engagement with each other whereby inner curved edges define a substantially round locking-key receiving socket.

2. In a metallic fence post, a body V-shaped in cross section and formed with wire-receiving slots spaced from each other longitudinally thereof, pairs of companion tongues carried by said body, each pair of tongues being located at an end of a slot in a side by side relation to each other, the tongues of each pair extending diagonally towards each other and bent inwardly with their ends contacting whereby the companion tongues define a fastener-receiving opening, and Wiresecuring pins extending vertically across the wire-receiving slots and through the openings defined by said tongues with their upper and lower portions bearing against the inner surfaces of the body above and below the slots.

OSCAR M. BORGEN. 

